Draw-bar coupling



T. G. HIGGINS.

DRAW BAR COUPLING. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 8. 1917. RENEWED MAR. 22, 1920.

Patented May 25, 1920.

y Ewig/M 7 :I ik?. 5. i A

QFFICE.

are

BRAVI-BAR COUPLNG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, i920.

Application filed. October 8, 1917, Serial No. 195,320-5. Renewed March 22, 1920. Serial No. 367,886.

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, THoMAs GEORGE HIG- GINs, a subject of the King of England, residing at Brierley Hill, in the county of Stafford, England, have invented Draw-Bar Couplings, of which the following is a speciiication.

rlhis invention relates to draw-bar couplings of railway vehicles and the like, and has for its object to provide means whereby the vehicles can be coupled or uncoupled from the sides without danger to the operator; further, means are provided whereby the draw-bar can be regulated any required distance out of the head stock to allow for coupling.

The means for advancing and retracting the draw-bar according to the invention comprises a foot-piece carried by a pivoted arm or arms and supporting a pivoted dis tance member. rlhe said footpiece is provided with hooks or catches adapted to en gage side projections on the distance member when the latter is allowed to fall from its upper position, thus through the medium of the distance. member advancing a slidable frame and consequently thc draw-bar connected thereto so that the latter is lengthened, whereas when the distance member is raised through the medium of the footpiece the slidable frame is retracted and the drawbar shortened. The outer end of the slidable frame carries a cross shaft on which is mounted a lever independent of, but actuating, a coupling link, the said frame being fitted with a thrust piece against which the distance member presses and consequently advances the draw-bar. A spring acting against the end of the slidable frame maintains the apparatus taut when in running position. The running position depends on the class or type of draw-bar to be em-v ployed and connected. lr" the vehicles are fitted with exactly similar draw-bars of the so-called patent type, the running position would be illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings. Supposing, however, that it is necessary to connect two vehicles of which one is fitted with such a patent draw-bar while the other vehicle is fitted with a draw-bar of the type hereinafter described, the running position would then be that indicated in Fig. 4 thus making the patent draw-bar or drawbar now commonly in use adaptable for connection with the present type of draw-bar.

In this latter case the vehicle with the known type of draw-bar may be advanced for the required distance to enable the dropping of the coupling link over the hook of the adjacent vehicle fitted with the improved type of draw-bar.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, reference is made to the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a central vertical section of the half length of a vehicle showing the apparatus in running position.

F ig. 2 is a vertical cross section on line of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a like cross section on line 3/-3/ of Fig. 1. i y

Fig. 4L is a central vertical section of the half length of a vehicle showing the disposition of the apparatus when the draw-bar has been advanced.

Fig. 5 is a plan of the apparatus as disposed in F ig. 1, the dotted lines indicating the advanced position of the draw-bar carrying frame.

rllhe apparatus is arranged in the body underframe of the vehicle and comprises a cross shaft 1 on which is mounted a swing arm or arms 2 carrying a footpiece 3 with hooks or catches l at one end. The cradle or frame 5 is disposed between the longitudinal vmembers of the body underframe and may be freely support-ed by brackets or hangers. To the cradle or frame is pivoted a distance member G which is held up in position by the footpiece 3 of the swing arms 2. On the distance member 6 are side projections 7 with which the hooks or catches l engage when the member 6 drops into the lower position. The draw-bar 8 is longitudinally slidable for a suitable distance out of the headstock 9 and is connected at the rear to a slidable member 10 having a guidepiece 102L running along the cradle or frame 5 and carrying a thrust roller 11 and a shaft 12 at the front end. The said shaft is cranked back toward its outer parts to be clear of the buffers. Rigidly connected to the shaft 12 and directly behind the single coupling link 8a is a pair of forked arms 13 or equivalent which by operating side levers 14 are adapted to engage and raise the coupling link 8 on to a coupling hook of an adjacent vehicle7 or to tip the said link off a coupling hook for disconnecting the vehicles. The slidable member 10 is urged forward through a spring medium 15 acting against the shaft 12, the said spring medium maintaining the slidable member to a certain extent taut against the pivoted distance member 6. rThe said spring medium may be mounted on a rod as shown or be placed in a tube acting against the end of the rod. A'spring buffer 16 is fitted at the rear inner endv of the cradle or frame 5 to prevent the couplinghook being forced against the headstock 9 upon two adjacent vehicles closing on each other. Side handles 17 are fitted to the shaft 1 for actuating the apparatus.

Nhen coupling to a bottom hook, the lever 14 is slidably secured in any suitable way to the side of the vehicle so as to prevent the link falling off the bottom hook.

The siidable frame 10 may have a bearing on a roller bracket 18 or other support fixed to the headstock.

In practice, assuming the apparatus to be in position as shown in Fig. l, and it is desired to couple up, the arms 2 are swung in one direction thereby removing the footpiece 3 from supportingthe distance member 6 which consequently drops opposite the thrust roller 11 as shown in Fig. 4. Further movement of the swing arms 2 causes the hooks or catches 4 to take hold of the side projections 7 and press the distance member 6 against the thrust roller 11 thereby slidably advancing the member 10 and with it the draw-bar 8 correspondingly. rThe shaft, 12 can then be actuated causing the forked arms v13 to raise the coupling'link 8 and drop it over a coupling hook of an adjacent vehicle. rihe same action will likewise tip it off a couplinghook `when required.

To retract the draw-bar and its connected member 10, the arms 2 are swung in the opposite direction whereby the hooks or catches 4 press under the projections 7 and in turn the nose of the distance member 6 bears against the rear of the draw-bar actuating member 10 and eventually the footpiece 3 takes under the member Gas shown in Fig. 1. n

1t is to be understood that the apparatus may be modified in its parts without departin@ from the spirit of the invention.

, t-liaving now fully describedmy said invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. ln the herein described draw-bar coupling for railway vehicles and the like, means for advancing and retracting the draw-bar, the said means comprising in combination, a cross shaft journaled in the body underframe of the vehicle and having operating handles at either end, a foot piece rigidly fixed to` and suspended from said cross shaft and formed with two hooks at one end, a cradle in the shape of a rectangular frame mounted between the longitudinal members of the vehicle frame and situated below the cross shaft a distance member `aivoted to the outer end and at the bottom of the said cradie and normally resting on theraforementioned foot piece, the said distance member being formed with a projection at each side and each projection being adapted to engage with the corresponding hook on the foot piece when the latter, through the action on the cross shaft, is swung out from its normal position, and a 'slidable and springinfiuenced frame connected to the inner end of the draw-bar and suspended therefrom, the inner end of said frame abutting against the pivoted distance member, all as and for the purpose set forth.

2. lin the herein described coupling means and means for advancing and retracting the draw-bar which is slidably mounted in the headstockV of the vehicle frame, the combination, with a slidable frame connected to the inner end of the draw-bar and suspended therefrom and from theV headstock respectively, of a springmedinm tending to advance the said frame when the latter is in running position, the said spring medium comprising a cranked and spring-inuenced shaft journaled at the front end of the frame, and a pair of forked arms rigidly mounted on the said cranked shaft and through the medium thereof being pivoted to the outer end of said frame, each arm being provided with integral levers and adapted to be brought into engagement with the coupling means, all as and for the burpose set forth.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand.

rnon'as enonen nreeins 

